Fascial Fitness
Fascia oriented training for bodywork and move-
ment therapies
Fascial Fitness
When a football player is not able to take the field be-
cause of a recurrent calf spasm, a tennis star gives up
early on a match due to knee problems or a sprinter
limps across the finish line with a torn Achilles tendon,
the problem is most often neither in the musculature or
the skeleton. Instead, it is the structure of the connec-
tive tissue – ligaments, tendons, joint capsules, etc. –
which have been loaded beyond their present capacity
(Renström & Johnson 1985, Counsel & Breidahl 2010).
A focused training of the fascial network could be of
great importance for athletes, dancers and other move-
ment advocates. If one‘s fascial body is well trained,
that is to say optimally elastic and resilient, then it can
be relied on to perform effectively and at the same time
to offer a high degree of injury prevention. Until now,
most of the emphasis in sports training has been fo-
cused on the classical triad of muscular strength, cardi-
ovascular conditioning, and neuromuscular coordina-
tion. Some alternative physical training activities - such
as Pilates, yoga, Continuum Movement, Tai Chi, Qi
Gong and martial arts – are already taking the connec-
tive tissue network into account.
The importance of fasciae is often specifically dis-
cussed; however the modern insights of fascia research
have often not been specifically included in our work.
In this article, we suggest that in order to build up an
injury resistant and elastic fascial body network, it is
essential to translate current insights of fascia research
into a practical training program. Our intention is to
encourage massage, bodywork, and movement thera-
pists, as well as sports trainers to incorporate the basic
principles presented in this article, and to apply them
to their specific context.
Terra Rosa e-magazine, Issue no. 7
Divo G. Müller, Robert Schleip
Fascial Remodelling
A unique characteristic of connective tissue is its im-
pressive adaptability: when regularly put under in-
creasing physiological strain, it changes its architectur-
al properties to meet the demand. For example,
through our everyday biped locomotion the fascia on
the lateral side of the thigh develops a palpable firm-
ness. If we were to instead spend that same amount of
time with our legs straddling a horse, then the opposite
would happen, i.e. after a few months the fascia on the
inner side of the legs would become more developed
and strong (El-Labban et al. 1993). The varied capaci-
ties of fibrous collagenous connective tissues make it
possible for these materials to continuously adapt to
the regularly occurring strain, particularly in relation to
changes in length, strength and ability to shear. Not
only the density of bone changes, as for example in as-
tronauts who spend most time in zero gravity, their
Figure 1. Increased elastic storage capacity. Regular oscilla-
tory exercise, such as daily rapid running, induces a higher storage
capacity in the tendinous tissues of rats, compared with their non-
running peers. This is expressed in a more spring-like recoil move-
ment as shown on the left. The area between the respective loading
versus unloading curves represents the amount of 'hysteresis': the
smaller hysteresis of the trained animals (green) reveals their more
'elastic' tissue storage capacity; whereas the larger hysteresis of their
peers signifies their more 'visco-elastic' tissue properties, also called
inertia . Illustration modified after Reeves 2006.
2
 Fascial Fitness
bones become more porous; fascial tissues also reacts to collagenous structures (Kubo et al. 2003).
their dominant loading patterns. With the help of the
fibroblasts, they react to everyday strain as well as to The Catapult Mechanism: Elas-
specific training; steadily remodelling the arrangement tic Recoil of Fascial Tissues
of their collagenous fibre network. For example, with
Kangaroos can hop much farther and
each passing year half the collagen fibrils are replaced in
faster than can be explained by the force
a healthy body.
of the contraction of their leg muscles.
The intention of fascial fitness is to influence this re- Under closer scrutiny, scientists discovered that a spring
placement via specific training activities which will, af- -like action is behind the unique ability: the so-called
ter 6 to 24 months, result in a ‗silk-like bodysuit‘ which catapult mechanism (Kram & Dawson 1998). Here the
is not only strong but also allows for a smoothly gliding tendons and the fascia of the legs are tensioned like
joint mobility over wide angular ranges. elastic bands. The release of this stored energy is what
makes the amazing hops possible. Hardy surprising,
Interestingly, the fascial tissues of young people show scientist thereafter found the same mechanism is also
stronger undulations within their collagen fibres, remi- used by gazelles. These animals are also capable of per-
niscent of elastic springs; whereas in older people the forming impressive leaping as well as running, though
collagen fibres appear as rather flattened (Staubesand et their musculature is not especially powerful. On the
al. 1997). Research has confirmed the previously opti- contrary, gazelles are generally considered to be rather
mistic assumption that proper exercise loading – if ap- delicate, making the springy ease of their incredible
plied regularly - can induce a more youthful collagen jumps all the more interesting.
architecture, which shows a more wavy fibre arrange-
ment (Wood et al. 1988, Jarniven et al. 2002) and which Through high resolution ultrasound examination, it is
also expresses a significant increased elastic storage ca- now possible to discover similar orchestration of load-
pacity (Figure 1) (Reeves et al. 2006). However, it seems ing between muscle and fascia in human movement.
to matter which kind of exercise movements are ap- Surprisingly it has been found that the fasciae of human
plied: a controlled exercise study using slow velocity and have a similar kinetic storage capacity to that of kanga-
low load contractions only demonstrated an increase in roos and gazelles (Sawicki et al. 2009). This is not only
muscular strength and volume, however it failed to made use of when we jump or run but also with simple
yield any change in the elastic storage capacity of the walking, as a significant part of the energy of the move-
ment comes from the same springiness described above.

Figure 2. Length changes of fascial elements and muscle fibres in an oscillatory movement with elastic recoil properties
(A) and in conventional muscle training (B). The elastic tendinous (or fascial) elements are shown as springs, the myo-fibres as
straight lines above. Note that during a conventional movement (B) the fascial elements do not change their length significantly while the
muscle fibres clearly change their length. During movements like hopping or jumping however the muscle fibres contract almost isometri-
cally while the fascial elements lengthen and shorten like an elastic yoyo spring. Illustration adapted from Kawakami et al. 2002.

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 Fascial Fitness

Figure 3. Collagen architecture responds to loading. Fasciae of young people express more often a clear two-directional (lattice)
orientation of their collagen fibre network. In addition the individual collagen fibres show a stronger crimp formation. As evidenced by ani-
mal studies, application of proper exercise can induce an altered architecture with increased crimp-formation. Lack of exercise on the other
hand, has been shown to induce a multidirectional fibre network and a decreased crimp formation.

This new discovery has led to an active revision of long
accepted principles in the field of movement science.
In the past it was assumed that in a muscular joint
movement, the skeletal muscles involved shorten and
this energy passes through passive tendons which re-
sults in the movement of the joint. This classical form of muscle fibres changes slightly. Here, it is the muscle
energy transfer is still true for steady movements such
as cycling. Here the muscle fibres actively change in
length, while the tendons and aponeuroses barely grow
longer (Figure 2). The fascial elements remain quite
passive. This is in contrast to oscillatory movements
with an elastic spring quality in which the length of the
fibres contract in an almost isometric fashion (they stiff-
en temporarily without any significant change of their
length) while the fascial elements function in an elastic
way with a movement similar to that of a yoyo. Here, it
is the lengthening and shortening of the fascial elements
that ‗produces‘ the actual movement (Fukunaga et al.
2002, Kawakami et al. 2002).

Work by Staubesand et al. (1997) suggested that the

elastic movement quality in young people is associated
with a typical bi-directional lattice arrangement of their
fasciae, similar to a woman‘s stocking. In contrast, as we

Figure 4. Loading of different fascial components.

A) Relaxed position: The myo-fibres are relaxed and the muscle is at
normal length. None of the fascial elements is being stretched.
B) Usual muscle work: myo-fibres contracted and muscle at normal
length range. Fascial tissues which are either arranged in series with
the myo-fibres or transverse to them are loaded.
C) Classical stretching: myo-fibres relaxed and muscle elongated.
Fascial tissues oriented parallel to the myo-fibres are loaded as well
as extra-muscular connections. However, fascial tissues oriented in
series with the myo-fibres are not sufficiently loaded, since most of
the elongation in that serially arranged force chain is taken up by the
relaxed myo-fibres.
D) Actively loaded stretch: muscle active and loaded at long end
range. Most of the fascial components are being stretched and stimu-
lated in that loading pattern. Note that various mixtures and combi-
nations between the four different fascial components exist. This
simplified abstraction serves as a basic orientation only.

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 Fascial Fitness
A B

Figure 5. Training example: The Flying Sword A) Tension the bow: the preparatory counter movement (pre-stretch) initiates the
elastic-dynamic spring in an anterior and inferior direction. Free weights can also be used. B) To return to an upright position, the
‘catapulting back fascia’ is loaded as the upper body is briefly bounced dynamically downwards followed by an elastic swing back up. The
attention of the person doing the exercise should be on the optimal timing and calibration of the movement in order to create the smoothest
movement possible.

age and usually loose the springiness in our gait, the transverse fibres across the muscular envelope are stim-
fascial architecture takes on a more haphazard and mul- ulated as well. However, little effect can be expected on
tidirectional arrangement. Animal experiments have extra-muscular fasciae as well as on those intramuscular
also shown that lack of movement quickly fosters the fascial fibres that are arranged in parallel to the active
development of additional cross links in fascial tissues. muscle fibres (Huijing 1999).
The fibres lose their elasticity and do not glide against
one another as they once did; instead they become stuck Classical Hatha yoga stretches on the other side will
together and form tissue adhesions, and in the worst show little effect on those fascial tissues which are ar-
cases they actually become matted together (Figure 3) ranged in series with the muscle fibres, since the relaxed
(Jarvinen et al. 2002). myo-fibres are much softer than their serially arranged
tendinous extensions and will therefore ‗swallow‘ most
The goal of the proposed fascial fitness training is to of the elongation (Jami 1992). However, such stretching
stimulate fascial fibroblasts to lay down a more youthful provides good stimulation for fascial tissues which are
and kangaroo-like fibre architecture. This is done hardly reached with classical muscle training, such as
through movements that load the fascial tissues over the extra-muscular fasciae and the intramuscular fasci-
multiple extension ranges while utilizing their elastic ae oriented in parallel to the myo-fibres. Finally, a dy-
springiness. namic muscular loading pattern in which the muscle is
both activated and extended promises a more compre-
Figure 4 illustrates different fascial elements affected by hensive stimulation of fascial tissues. This can be
various loading regimes. Classical weight training loads achieved by muscular activation (e.g. against resistance)
the muscle in its normal range of motion, thereby in a lengthened position while requiring small or medi-
strengthening the fascial tissues which are arranged in um amounts of muscle force only. Soft elastic bounces
series with the active muscle fibres. In addition the in the end ranges of available motion can also be utilized

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 Fascial Fitness

Figure 6. Training example: Elastic Wall Bounces. Imitating the elastic bounces of a kangaroo soft bouncing movements off a wall
are explored in standing. Proper pre-tension in the whole body will avoid any collapsing into a ‘banana posture’. Making the least sound
and avoiding any abrupt movement qualities are imperative. Only with the mastery of these qualities a progression into further load in-
creases – e.g. bouncing off a table or window sill instead of a wall – can eventually be explored by stronger individuals. E.g. this person
should not yet be permitted to progress to higher loads, as his neck and shoulder region already show slight compression on the left picture.

for that purpose. The following guidelines are developed is shifted in this direction.
to make such training more efficient.
The opposite is true for straightening up – the mover
Training Principles activates the catapult capacity of the fascia through an
active pre-tensioning of the fascia of the back. When
1. Preparatory Counter-movement standing up from a forward bending position, the mus-
cles on the front of the body are first briefly activated.
Here we make use of the catapult effect as described
This momentarily pulls the body even further forward
above. Before performing the actual movement, we start
and down and at the same time the fascia on the poste-
with a slight pre-tensioning in the opposite direction.
rior fascia is loaded with greater tension.
This is comparable with using a bow to shoot an arrow;
just as the bow has to have sufficient tension in order The energy which is stored in the fascia is dynamically
for the arrow to reach its goal, the fascia becomes active- released via a passive recoil effect as the upper body
ly pre-tensioned in the opposite direction. Using one‘s ‗swings‘ back to the original position. To be sure that the
muscle power to ―push the arrow‖ would then rightfully individual is not relying on muscle work, but rather on
be seen as foolish, in this extreme example of an elastic dynamic recoil action of the fascia, requires a focus on
recoil movement. In a sample exercise called the flying timing – much the same as when playing with a yoyo. It
sword, the pre-tensioning is achieved as the body‘s axis is necessary to determine the ideal swing, which is ap-
is slightly tilted backward for a brief moment; while at parent when the action is fluid and pleasurable.
the same time there is an upward lengthening (Figure
5). This increases the elastic tension in the fascial body- 2. The Ninja Principle
suit and as a result allows the upper body and the arms
This principle is inspired by the legendary Japanese
to spring forward and down like a catapult as the weight
warriors who reputedly moved as silent as cats and left

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 Fascial Fitness
A B

Figure 7. Training example: The Big Cat Stretch. A) This is a slow stretching movement of the long posterior chain, from the finger
tips to the sit bones, from the coccyx to the top of the head and to the heels. The movement goes in opposing directions at the same time –
think of a cat stretching its long body. By changing the angle slightly, different aspects of the fascial web are addressed with slow and steady
movements. B) In the next step, we rotate and lengthen the pelvis or chest towards on side (here shown with the pelvis starting to rotate to
the right). The intensity of the feeling of stretch on that entire side of the body is then gently reversed. Note the afterwards feeling of in-
creased length .

no trace. When performing bouncy movements such as ture of the connective tissue in that it becomes more
hopping, running and dancing, special attention needs elastic when correctly performed (Decoster et al. 2005).
to be paid to executing the movement as smoothly and Muscles and tissue should first be warmed up, and jerk-
softly as possible. A change in direction is preceded by a ing or abrupt movements should be avoided. The mo-
gradual deceleration of the movement before the turn tion should have a sinusoidal deceleration and accelera-
and a gradual acceleration afterwards, each movement tion shape each direction turn; this goes along with a
flowing from the last; any extraneous or jerky move- smooth and ‗elegant‘ movement quality perception. Dy-
ments should therefore be avoided (see Figure 6). namic, fast stretching has even more effect on the fascia
when combined with a preparatory countermovement
Normal stairs become training equipment when they as was previously described by Fukashiro et al. (2006).
are used appropriately, employing gentle stepping. The For example, when stretching the hip flexors a brief
production of ‗as little noise as possible‘ provides the backward movement should be introduced before dy-
most useful feedback – the more the fascial spring effect namically lengthening and stretching forwards.
is utilized, the quieter and gentler the process will be. It
may be useful to reflect on the way a cat moves as it pre- The long myofascial chains are the preferred focus when
pares to jump; the feline first sends a condensed im- doing slow dynamic stretches. Instead of stretching iso-
pulse down through its paws in order to accelerate softly lated muscle groups, the aim is finding body movements
and quietly, landing with precision. that engage the longest possible myofascial chains
(Myers 1997). This is not done by passively waiting as
3. Dynamic Stretching in a lengthening classical Hatha yoga pose, or in a con-
ventional isolated muscle stretch. Multidirectional
Rather than a motionless waiting in a static stretch posi-
movements, with slight changes in angle are utilized;
tion a more flowing stretch is suggested. In fascial fit-
this might include sideways or diagonal movement vari-
ness there is a differentiation between two kinds of dy-
ations as well as spiralling rotations. With this method,
namic stretching: fast and slow. The fast variation may
large areas of the fascial network are simultaneously
be familiar to many people as it was part of the physical
involved (Figure 7).
training in the past. For the past several decades this
bouncing stretch was considered to be generally harmful 4. Proprioceptive Refinement
to the tissue, but the method‘s merits have been con-
firmed in contemporary research. Although stretching The importance of proprioception for movement control
immediately before competition can be counterproduc- is made clear by the case of Ian Waterman, a man re-
tive, it seems that long-term and regular use of such dy- peatedly mentioned in scientific literature. This impres-
namic stretching can positively influence the architec- sive man contracted a viral infection at the age of 19

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 Fascial Fitness
Figure 8. Training example: Octopus Tentacle. With the image of an octopus tentacle in mind, a multitude of extensional movements
through the whole leg are explored in slow motion. Through creative changes in muscular activations patterns the tensional fascial proprio-
ception is activated. This goes along with a deep myofascial stimulation that aims to reach not only the fascial envelopes but also into the
septa between muscles. While avoiding any jerky movement quality, the action of these tentacle-like micro-movements leads to a feeling of
flowing strength in the leg.
which resulted in a so-called ‗sensory neuropathy‘. In
this rare pathology, the sensory peripheral nerves which
provide the somato-motor cortex with information
about the movements of the body are destroyed, while
the motor nerves remain completely intact. This means
than Mr. Waterman can move, but he can‘t ‗feel‘ his
movements. After some time, this giant of a man be-
came virtually lifeless. Only with an iron will and years
of practice did he finally succeed in making up for these
normal physical sensations, a capacity that is commonly
taken for granted. He did so with conscious control that
primarily relies on visual feedback. He is currently the
only person known with this affliction that is able to
stand unaided, as well as being able to walk (Cole 1995).
Observation of the way Waterman moves is similar to
the way patients with chronic back pain move. When in
a public place if the lights unexpectedly go out, he clum-
sily falls to the ground (see BBC documentary: The man
who lost his body http://video.google.com/videoplay?
docid=-3032994272684681390#). Springy, swinging
movements are possible for him only with obvious and
jerky changes in direction. If doing a classical stretching
program with static or active stretches, he would appear
normal. As for the dynamic stretching that is part of our
fascial training, he is clearly not capable, as he lacks the
proprioception needed for fine coordination.
It is interesting to note here that the classical ‗joint re-
ceptors‘ – located in joint capsules and associated liga-
ments - have been shown to be of lesser importance for
normal proprioception, since they are usually stimulat-
ed at extreme joint ranges only, and not during physio-
logical motions (Lu et al 1985). On the contrary, propri-
Terra Rosa e-magazine, Issue no. 7
oceptive nerve endings located in the more superficial
layers are more optimally situated as here even small
angular joint movements lead to relatively distinct
shearing motions. Recent findings indicate that the su-
perficial fascial layers of the body are in fact more
densely populated with mechano-receptive nerve end-
ings than tissue situated more internally (Stecco et al.
2008).
For this reason a perceptual refinement of shear, gliding
and tensioning motions in superficial fascial mem-
branes is encouraged. In doing this, it is important to
limit the filtering function of the reticular formation as
it can markedly restrict the transfer of sensations from
movements which are repetitive and predictable. To
prevent such a sensory dampening, the idea of varied
and creative experiencing becomes important. In addi-
tion to the slow and fast dynamic stretches noted above
as well as utilizing elastic recoil properties an inclusion
of ‗fascial refinement‘ training is recommended in which
various qualities of movement are experimented with,
e.g. extreme slow-motion and very quick, micro-
movements which may not even be visible to an observ-
er and large macro movements involving the whole
body. Here it is common to place the body into unfamil-
iar positions while working with the awareness of gravi-
ty, or possibly through exploring the weight of a training
partner.
The micro-movements are inspired by Emily Conrad‘s
Continuum Movement (Conrad 1997). Such movement
is active and specific and can have effects which are not
possible with larger movements. In doing these coordi-
nated fascial movements, it appears possible to specifi-
8
 Fascial Fitness

Figure 9. Training example: Fascial Release. The use of particular foam rollers may allow the application of localized tissue stimula-
tions with similar forces and possibly similar benefits as in a manual myofascial release session. However the stiffness of the roller and ap-
plication of the body weight needs to be adjusted and monitored for each person. To foster a sponge-like tissue dehydration with subsequent
renewed local hydration, only slow-motion like subtle changes in the applied forces and vectors are recommended.

cally address adhesions, for example between muscle these begin to function less optimally as their elastic and
septa deep in the body. In addition such tiny and specif- springy resilience slowly decreases.
ic movements can be used to illuminate and bring
awareness to perceptually neglected areas of the body The short walking pauses then serve to re-hydrate the
(Figure 8). Thomas Hanna uses the label ‗sensory-motor tissue as it is given a chance to take up nourishing fluid.
amnesia‘ for such places in the body (Hanna 1998). For an average beginning runner for example, the au-
thors recommend walking pauses of one to three
5. Hydration and Renewal minutes every 10 minutes. More advanced runners with
more developed body awareness can adjust the optimal
The video recordings of live fascia Strolling Under the timing and duration of those breaks based on the pres-
Skin by Dr Jean-Claude Guimbertau have helped our ence (or lack) of that youthful and dynamic rebound: if
understanding of the plasticity and changing elasticity the running movement begins to be feel and look more
of the water-filled fascia. This awareness has proven to dampened and less springy, it is likely time for a short
be especially effective when incorporated into the slow pause. Similarly, if after a brief walking break there is a
dynamic stretching and the fascial refinement work. An noticeable return of that gazelle-like rebound, then the
essential basic principle of these exercises is the under- rest period was adequate.
standing that the fascial tissue is predominantly made
up of free moving and bound water molecules. During This cyclic training, with periods of more intense effort
the strain of stretching, the water is pushed out of the interspersed with purposeful breaks, is recommended in
more stressed zones similarly to squeezing a sponge all facets of fascia training. The person training then
(Schleip & Klingler 2007).With the release that follows; learns to pay attention to the dynamic properties of
this area is again filled with new fluid which comes from their fascial ―bodysuit‖ while exercising, and to adjust
surrounding tissue as well as the lymphatic and vascular the exercises based on this new body awareness. This
network. The sponge-like connective tissue can lack ad- also carries over to an increased ‗fascial embodiment‘ in
equate hydration at neglected places. The goal of exer- everyday life. Preliminary anecdotal reports also indi-
cise is to refresh such places in the body with improved cate a preventative effect of a fascia oriented training in
hydration through specific stretching to encourage fluid relation to connective tissue overuse injuries.
movement.
The use of special foam rollers can be useful tools for
Here proper timing of the duration of individual loading inducing a localized ‗sponge-like‘ temporary tissue de-
and release phases is very important. As part of modern hydration with resultant renewed hydration. However
running training, it is often recommended to frequently firmness of the roller and application of the bodyweight
intercept the running with short walking intervals needs to be individually monitored. If properly applied
(Galloway 2002). There is good reason for this: under and including very slow and finely-tuned directional
strain the fluid is pressed out of the fascial tissues and changes only, the tissue forces and potential benefits

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 Fascial Fitness
Figure 10: Collagen turnover after exercise. The upper curve
shows collagen synthesis in tendons is increasing after exercise.
However, the stimulated fibroblasts also increase their rate of colla-
gen degradation. Interestingly, during the first 1-2 days following
exercise, collagen degradation overweights the collagen synthesis;
whereas afterwards this situation is reversed. To increase tendon
strength, the proposed fascial fitness training therefore suggests an
appropriate tissue stimulation 1 to 2 times per week only. While the
increased tendon strength is not achieved by an increase in tendon
diameter, recent examinations by Kjaer et al. (2009) indicated that it
is probably the result of altered cross-link formations between colla-
gen fibres. Illustration modified after Magnusson et al. 2010.
could be similar to those of manual myofascial release
treatments (Chaudhry et al. 2008). In addition, the lo-
calized tissue stimulation may serve to stimulate and
fine-tune possibly inhibited or de-sensitized fascial pro-
prioceptors in more hidden tissue locations (Figure 9).
6. Sustainability: The Power of a Thousand
Tiny Steps
An additional and important aspect is the concept of the
slow and long-term renewal of the fascial network. In
contrast to muscular strength training in which big
gains occur early on and then a plateau is quickly
reached wherein only very small gains are possible, fas-
cia changes more slowly and the results are more last-
ing. It is possible to work without a great deal of strain –
so that consistent and regular training pays off. When
training the fascia, improvements in the first few weeks
may be small and less obvious on the outside. However,
improvements have a lasting cumulative effect which
after years can be expected to result in marked improve-
ments in the strength and elasticity of the global facial
net (Figure 10) (Kjaer et al. 2009). Improved coordina-
tion as the fascial proprioception becomes refined is
probable.
EI-Labban NG, Hopper C, Barber P (1993) Ultrastructural
A bit of Eastern philosophy might help in the motivation finding of vascular degeneration in myositis ossificans circum-
scripta (fibrodysplasia ossificans). J Oral Pathol Med 22 (9):
of impatient Westerners looking for quick gains: to be
428–431
Terra Rosa e-magazine, Issue no. 7
supple and resilient like a bamboo requires the devotion
and regular care of the bamboo gardener. He nurtures
his seeds over a long period of time without any visible
positive result. Only after enduring care does the first
bamboo seedling become visible as it pushes its way
toward the sky. From then on it grows steadily upwards
until it dwarfs its neighbours in height, flexibility and
resistance to damage. It is therefore suggested that
training should be consistent, and that only a few
minutes of appropriate exercises, performed once or
twice per week is sufficient for collagen remodelling.
The related renewal process will take between six
months and two years and will yield a lithe, flexible and
resilient collagenous matrix.
For those who do yoga or martial arts, such a focus on a
long-term goal is nothing new. For the person who is
new to physical training, such analogies when combined
with a little knowledge of modern fascia research can go
a long way in convincing them to train their connective
tissues. Of course fascial fitness training should not re-
place muscular strength work, cardiovascular training
and coordination exercises; instead it should be thought
of as an important addition to a comprehensive training
program.
For more information on fascial fitness see:
www.fascialfitness.de
This article is adapted from: Fascia in Manual and
Movement Therapies, Schleip et al., Elsevier Science
2011.
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Jami A (1992) Golgi tendon organs in mammalian skeletal Staubesand J, Baumbach KUK, Li Y (1997) La structure find
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Jarvinen TA, Jozsa L, Kannus P, Jarvinen TL, Jarvinen M JA, De Caro R 2008. Histological study of the deep fasciae of
(2002) Organization and distribution of intramuscular con- the limbs. J Bodyw Mov Ther 12(3): 225-230.
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immunohistochemical, polarization and scanning electron Wood TO, Cooke PH, Goodship AE (1988) The effect of exer-
microscopic study. J Muscle Res Cell Motil 23(3): 245-54. cise and anabolic steroids on the mechanical properties and
crimp morphology of the rat tendon. Am J Sports Med 16 (2)
Kawakami Y, Muraoka T, Ito S, Kanehisa H, Fukunaga T 153-158.
(2002) In vivo muscle fibre behaviour during countermove-
ment exercise in humans reveals a significant role for tendon About the authors
elasticity. J Physiol 540 (2): 635–646.
Divo Müller is one of the first interna-
Kjaer M, Langberg H, Heinemeier K, Bayer ML, Hansen M, tionally authorized Continuum teach-
Holm L, Doessing S, Kongsgaard M, Krogsgaard MR, Magnus- ers in Europe since 1992. She is a So-
son SP (2009). From mechanical loading to collagen synthe- matic Experience practitioner, author
sis, structural changes and function in human tendon. Scand J
of a book, numerous articles and
Med Sci Sports 19(4): 500-510.
DVDs, all of which teach a specially
Kram R, Dawson TJ (1998) Energetics and biomechanics of designed movement approach for
locomotion by red kangaroos (Macropus rufus). Comp Bio- women, based on Continuum. Divo teaches regularly
chem Physiol B 120(1): 41-9. http://stripe.colorado.edu/ all over Europe as well as in Brazil and in New Zea-
~kram/kangaroo.pdf land. She offers a unique movement program in her
Kubo K, Kanehisa H, Miyatani M, Tachi M, Fukunaga T Studio Bodybliss in Munich www.bodybliss.de
(2003). Effect of low-load resistance training on the tendon
Robert Schleip PhD, is an Internation-
properties in middle-aged and elderly women. Acta Physiol
Scand 178(1): 25-32.
al Rolfing Instructor and Fascial Anat-
omy Teacher. Robert has been an en-
Lu Y, Chen C, Kallakuri S, Patwardhan A, Cavanaugh JM thusiastic certified Rolfer since 1978.
(2005) Neural response of cervical facet joint capsule to He holds on M.A. degree in psychology
stretch: a study of whiplash pain mechanism. Stapp Car Crash and is a Certified Feldenkrais Teacher since 1988. He
J 49: 49-65.
earned his PhD with honours in 2006 at the age of 52,
Mackey AL, Heinemeier KM, Koskinen SO, Kjaer M (2008) and shortly thereafter established the Fascia Research
Dynamic adaptation of tendon and muscle connective tissue to Project at Ulm University and has a lab of his own. He
mechanical loading. Connect Tissue Res 49(3): 165-168. was the co-initiator and organizer of the first Fascia
Research Congress at the Harvard Medical School in
Magnusson SP, Langberg H, Kjaer M (2010) The pathogenesis
Boston, USA in 2007. See Robert’s website
of tendinopathy: balancing the response to loading. Nat Rev
Rheumatol 6(5): 262-268. www.somatics.de

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